Railway track signal



Oct. 13-, 1931. M w sou 1,827,633

RAILWAY TRACK SIGNAL Filed Sept. 17, 1950 STOP TANK OAR CONNECTED Patented Oct. 13, 1 931 PATENT OFFICE RONALD IlE. WILSON, OF WEST CHESTER, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE HUFF- MAN MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF DAYTON, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO RAILWAY TRACK SIGNAL Application filed September 17, 1930. Serial No. 482,458.

This invention relates to a railway track signal and more particularly to that type of signal adapted to be mounted on a rail of a siding to indicate to the crew of a switch engine that a car on the siding is not to be moved, as for example, when a tank car is connected with a discharge conduit for the purpose of discharging its contents to astorage reservoir.

One ob ect of the lnvention is to provide a signal of this kind which may be easily. at-

tached to the rail and will be firmly supported thereon with the signal in an elevated I position.

A further object of the invention is to pro- -z vide such a signal which when placed in position on the rail will be self-supporting and will not require the use of clamps or other fastening devices to secure it to the rail.

A further object of the invention is to pro.-

vide such a signal with a supporting structure having rail engaging parts of such a character and so arranged that they will be retained in supporting engagement with the rail by gravity. j I

Other objects of the invention will appear 7 as the device is described in detail.

In the accompanying drawings Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a signal embodying my in vention; Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the lower portion of the supporting structure of such a signal; and Fig. 3 is a side elevation of thelower portion of a slightly modified form of the supportingstructure; Fig. 4 is a view of a modification. v

The signal as a whole comprises a suitable sign or indicating member, which constitutes the signal proper, and which is carried by a supporting structure having at its lower end two'parts adapted to be positioned on oppositesides of the rail on which the device is to be mounted and to have supporting engagement therewith. This supporting structure has apart extending laterally beyond'one side of the rail and the lower end parts thereof are so arranged that, when the structure is properly positioned on the rail, the weight of said laterally extending part will hold one of said lower end parts inengagement with the base flange of the rail on that side of the railfadjacent tosaid laterally extending part,

and will hold the other lower end part in engagement with the underside of the rail head on the other side of the rail, thus causing the signal as a whole to be supported by gravity in its operative position on the rail without the use of a clamp or retaining device of any kind.

The supporting structure may take various forms and in that particular embodiment of the invention shown in Figs. 1 and 2 this supporting structure is in the nature of a standard 5 having secured to its upper end the signal proper, which is shown at 6 as a stop sign. The lower end of the standard 5 has a part adapted to engage beneath the head of the rail 18 on one side of the rail and the standard extends across the rail in an upwardly inclined position so that when the structure is properly supported on the rail the upper end thereof is laterally oflset beyond that side of the rail opposite the side which is engaged by the lower part of the standard. 111 the present instance, the lower 'en'd'of the standard is bent downwardly and inwardly, as shown at 7 so that it will hook under the rail head and has rigidly secured thereto'a transverse bar 8 adapted to seat in the angle between the lower side or the head and the vertical web of the rail. Mounted on the standard at a point spaced from the lower end thereof is a member adapted to extend downwardly on that side of the rail opposite the lower end of the standard and to have supporting engagement with the base flange of the rail. This member is shown in the form of an arm 9 having rigidly secured to its lower end a transverse bar 10 arranged to seat in the angle between the base flange and the web of the rail. When the supporting structure is positioned on the rail with the rail engaging parts in their proper positions the weight of the offset portion of the standard will hold the parts in those positions and the engagement of the parts with the railwill hold the standard in its inclined position with the signal in an elevated position. The rail engaging bars 8 and 10 are of sufficient length to hold the structure against tilting movement in the direction of the length of the rail. While I have here shown both the standard and the arm as pro= vided with elongated parts or bars to hold the structure against tilting it will be obvious that'this result may be attained by an elongated rail engaging part onone'ot said memhers only. i The second member or arm 9 may be connected with the standard in any suitable-mannerbut, in the form here shown, the arm is. pivotally mounted on the standard, preferably by pivotally connecting the same to a clip '11 which is rigidlyseciiredtothe standard, by welding or otherwise. The upper end of the arm 9 may be extended above the axis of 'thearm and bent outwardly away from "the, standard, as 'shownat 12,to form' a handle by means Of which the armmay be manipulated,;for the purposeofplacing the supporting structure on and removing the .samefrom the rail. If desired, the arm may be connected with the standard by a spring} 13. which, when the device is not. in use, will hold thearm'in contact with theelower'end' of the'standard and prevent the same from g flopping aboutwhen'the signal is carried from one position to another, but this spring,

has no function in so far asthejconnecting of thesupporting structure with the rail is concerned' It is immaterial which of the members engagesthe base flange and'which range to engage the base flange of the. rail the standarch by welding or otherwise, ex

engages the rail head, and it will be apparent thatthe'same resultmay be secured by re.-

' versi'ng the arrangement shown in Figsfl and 2, and causing "the'standard. to engage the base flange and the arm to hook under th "rail head. I

V In F ig; 3.1 have illustrated a modified'torm of the supporting structure in which the two members are rigidly connected one. I to the. other. In the particular arrangement'there shown'the standard 14 has its lower end. an

on that side of the rail adjacent to the standard and the upper portion ofthe standard extendslaterally in a direction away from the rail. 'The arm 15 is rigidly secured to tends across the rail and has its lower end adapted to engage the unders'ideof the rail 7 head on that side of the railopposite the standard. If the railhead is of greater width than the space between the rail engaging parts of the two members the structure may. be attached to the railbyrnoving the same in a' reverse directiontoithepositionshown in dotted lines in Fig. 3, then engaging the end i oi'ithe arm beneath; the rail head, with the lower end of the'standard above the rail, and- 1 then swinging the upper portion of the struc-j ture across the rail to bring the lowe'rendof the. standard into engagement with the base "flange, as shown in full lines. ,In .thisfforin of the device I haveshown the railengaging part of the standard-lh which; engages the base flange, as elongated inthedirection oat the lengthof the rail to hold the supporting 'ing'the; standard in an inclined rather thanby-bending thesame.

structure against tilting movement: Prefer'ably this part consists of a transverse bar 16 securedjbetween its ends to the body of .thefstandard. It is not necessary that both rail engaging parts should be elongated and I have shown the rail engaging part of the .arm as an integral part of the arm and of the same diameter as the body portion, of the In Fig. 4 of the drawings Iha've shown still, anothenarrangement ofthe device ,in

which the signal supporting standard 19 is in'the formoixa straight bar having at its lower end a transverse portion, 20 to engage the rail 'baseand having at a pointspaced from itslower end aslot'Zl. The arm 22 ex tends. through the slot .21" and is pivotally mounted therein by means of a'screw or pin 23. The lowerend "ofthe arm22 isbent to forma hook24 whichengages over the railhead' onfthat side ofthe rail opposite the standard. "Theupper end'of the arm 22ers 7 tends a short distance beyondthe standard and canbe engaged by thefoot of the operator-to manipulate the hook 24 in connecting the device with and disconnecting'the same from 'therail. In'this instance it will be observedlth at the offset or laterally extending portion-ofthe device isfprolvided by arrangp s t n "YWhile I have shownand described certain embodiments of invention I wishfitjtobe understood that I do n'otfdesirextobe limited to the details thereof as variousmodifications the other ofsaidparts-willengage the lower 1 side of the rail head on the other side of the rail, one of said members having a later'ally extendingpart the weight of which willihold said rail engaging-parts in operative engage, ment. with the respective parts .oflthe rail, and'a signalcarried by oneofsaid members.

2.; In a "railway itrack signal, standard having at its lower'end a'rail engaging part and .havingits upper portion offset'laterally from, the .lower'portionf thereof, a signal car} 'ried by the upper portionlof said standard,

and an arm pivotally' mounted :on said, standard at'a point spaced from the lower end thereoteandahaying at its lower enda railengagi-ng part, said .rail' engaging parts being so arranged thatoneofthem will en- "gage the lower side oftharailhead on that V sidefof the rail opposite said offset portion I59 of said standard, and the other part will engage the base flange of the rail on that side of the rail adjacent to said ofi'set portion, and said parts will be held in supporting engagement with the rail by the weight of the offset port-ionof said standard.

8. In a railway track signal, a standard having at its lower enda rail engaging part and having its upper portion offset laterally from the lower portion thereof, a signal carried by the upper portion of said standard, and a second rail engaging part movable supported by said standard, said rail engaging parts being so arranged that one of said parts will engage the base flange of the rail on that side of the rail adjacent to the offset portion of said standard and the other of said parts will hook under the rail head on the other side of the rail.

l. In a railway track signal, a standard having at its lower end a rail engaging part and having its upper portion offset laterally from the lower portion thereof, a signal carried by the upper portion of said standard,

. and an arm pivotally mounted on said standard at a point spaced from the lower end thereof and having a rail engaging part, said rail engaging parts being so arranged that one of saidparts will be supported by the hase flange of the rail on that side of the rail adjacent to the offset portion of the standard and the other of said parts will hook under s the rail head on the other side of said rail.

5. In a railway track signal, a standard having at its lower end a rail engaging part and having its upper portion offset laterally from the lower portion thereof, a signal carried by the upper portion of said standard, and an arm pivotally mounted on said standard at a point spaced from the lower end thereof and having a rail engaging part, said rail engaging parts being so arranged that one of said parts will be supported by the base flange of the rail on that side of the rail adjacent to the offset portion of the standard and the other of said parts will hook under the rail head on the other side of said rail, said arm having a part extending upwardly beyond its point of connection with said standard and serving as a handle for actuating said arm.

6. .In a railway track signal, a standard having at its lower end a rail engaging part and having its upper portion ofi'set laterally from the lower portion thereof, a signal carried by the upper portion of said standard, and an arm 'pivotallymounted on said standard at a point spaced from the lower end thereof and having a rail engaging part, said rail engaging parts being so arranged that one of said parts will be supported by the base flange of the rail on that side of the rail adjacent to the offset portion of the stand- I ard and the other of said parts will hook under the rail head on the other side of said rail, and a'spring eonnected with said standard and with saidarm to hold said members in adjacent positions when said signal is not in use.

7. In a railway track signal, a standard, an arm mounted on said standard at a point spaced 'from'the lower end thereof, rail engaging bars secured to the lower ends of said standard and said arm and extending transversely thereto, said rail engaging bars being so arranged that one of said bars will engage the base flange of the rail on one side of the rail and the other of said bars will engage the lower side of the rail head on the other side of the rail, said standard having a part extending laterally beyond that side of the rail which is engaged by the first mentioned bar, and the signal carried by said standard.

8. In a railway track signal, a standard having at its lower end a part to hook under the head of a rail on one side thereof, an arm mounted on said standard at a point spaced from the lower end thereof and having a partto engage the base flange of the rail on that side thereof opposite the side engaged by said part of said standard, said standard having a portion extending beyond the last mentioned side of said rail and serving by gravity to hold the first mentioned part of said standard and said part of said arm in engagement with the respective parts of said rail, and a signal carried by said standard.

9. In a railway track signal, a standard having its lower end adapted to be supported on the base flange of a rail on one side thereof, an arm mounted on said standard at a point spaced fromi'the lowerend thereof and having a part to book under the rail head on the other side of said rail, said standard also having a part extending laterally from that part of said rail on which said standard is supported and serving by gravity to hold said standard and said arm in supporting engagement with said rail, and a signal carried by said standard.

10. In a railway track signal, a supporting structure comprising two members rigidly connected one to the other at a point spaced from the lower ends thereof, said members being so arranged that the lower end of one member will engage the base flange of a track rail and the lower end of the other member will hook over the head of the rail on that side of the rail opposite the first mentioned member, one of said members having a laterally extending part the weight of which serves to hold the lower ends of said members in engagement with said parts of the rail, and a signal carried by said supporting structure.

11. In a railway track signal, a standard havin at its lower end a part to engage the base ange of-a track rail and having its upper portion oflset on that side of the rail which is engaged by the lower end thereof, a

railopposite said-standard 4; I v f ieea'msa' signal earried by the ofiset portion osaid; standard, and an: arm rigidly sec11red'2'to sa-id standard and: having a v parti vto engage .the lower side of the rail head on that side ofthe 12; Ina railway tracksignal asupporting structure, 7 Comprising two members "eonneoted one .to the other at a point above the lower? ends. :thereof' and each having at 'its 16 lower end a rail engaging p'amhsaidt members being soarrangedfthat one rail engagingpart will engage the baseflange of the rail on oneside of the' raiI' and the other "rail engaging member Will hook over the "railhead on the T5 other "sidesof the"rai1,-o'ne oi saidera il engaging parts being elongated: in the direction of the ilengthhf the rail :to hold said structure againsttiltingmovement, said structure V havingv a part soarranged that the weight thereofwil'l hold said rail engagingparts in operative engagement with saidrail, and a signalcarried by'said supportin structure.-

11-3.1In-'a railway it'ra'ok signa a standard havingiat .its lower end a part to engage the 25 base flange of ..a =rai1 and havinga slot extend-ing through the sametat a point spaced from said lower: end; an arm extending through said; :slot and xpi vota'lly; mounted therein: and having at its lower end a hook 30 i shaped? .portion to engage'- over the head. of the railz on that side thereof -opposite said standard and to support said standard in an inclined position;v and a signal carried by said standard. 5 I

- 935 Inite'stimony whereoffI-aflixrmysignatnre heretof 1 j I f :RONALD-M.:WILSON; 

